Subscriber Identity Module (“SIM”) (sometimes referred to as a subscriber interface module) technology, which is known in the art, has been used in mobile phone systems to allow users to establish account information in cellular telephones. For example, if a particular user has a first phone, and then buys another one, a SIM card can be removed from the first phone and inserted into the second one, thereby allowing account authentication, authorization and policy control information, as well as billing information, to be transferred from one phone to the next without the need of canceling the account corresponding to the first phone and then having to establish another account for the second phone. Examples of SIM-stored data include identity and billing information of the consumer, ongoing pre-paid usage totals, account and usage history, allowable access criteria, other information necessary for network usage and consumer favorites.
In addition to mobile telephone systems, other communication systems associate accounts that correspond to a particular user, in order to facilitate access and billing of the customer. Examples of such services include cable television, wired or wireless telephony, high-speed data and or multimedia services, for which a user typically establishes an account with the provider of each service. The signals for these services, which may be provided by as many different providers as there are services, typically enter into a dwelling or place of business via a customer premises Network Interface Unit (“NIU”). An NIU typically interfaces each of these services to a single dwelling unit (“SDU”) or a multiple dwelling unit (“MDU”), or a single converged services portal may receive signals from a plurality of service providers. Furthermore, these services may all be provided via a single service provider via a single network source such as, for example, xDSL, FTTx, HFC, fixed wireless, etc, in which case the converged services portal would be used.
Each one of the services may require that a separate account be established corresponding thereto. This requires either speaking with a representative of each service provider separately to establish the account with that a particular provider, or at the least, establish an account online, providing credit card information to the provider so that service level packaging, billing and related procedures can be agreed upon and established. Although this can be burdensome for a homeowner having just moved in to a new residence, many people realize such procedures are a one-time affair, and after the pain is over, tend to forget about the inconvenience. Until it is time to move again; or until they decide to buy a second home, such as a retreat in the mountains or a house on a beach.
In addition, in today's mobile economy, many people work temporary jobs at locations for durations less than a year, often working at many different locations for a few weeks each during the course of a year. Or, people who have time-share arrangements in resort locations also tend to desire telephone, data and television services. One of the first things one does upon establishing such a new residence is to set up accounts for desired communication services at the new location(s). One can see that after a while, the account establishing process become a real burden. Either they must use the services that are currently established at the particular location, often paying premium rates for limited services, or they must establish their own accounts for such services. In addition, the setup and account activation costs are prohibitive in comparison to the monthly service rates.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system to allow the establishment of authentication, authorization and policy management of one information/services account, and for each of the desired services within the account, such that account subscription and billing information can follow the user, thereby allowing the user to access the subscribed services from a plurality of locations without the need of establishing an account or accounts at each location.